Ratchet locking arrangement

ABSTRACT

Ratchet locking arrangement for the switching gear of a battery clock driven by the aid of a balance wheel, which is advanced by means of a divider switch, wherein a locking wheel is connected with the switching gear, and a locking ratchet cooperates with the locking wheel. The latter is coaxial and operatively associated with the switching gear. The ratchet is adjustably supported on a stationary part of the clock by the intermediary of an eccentric, the latter constituting a sole adjusting member for the proper positioning of the teeth of the switching gear with respect to switching discs secured to the shaft of the balance wheel. The ratchet has a weight sufficient to make positive engagement with successive bases of the teeth of the locking wheel upon advancement of the system by one step.

United States Patent Assmus Sept. 30, 1975 RATCHET LOCKING ARRANGEMENT [57] ABSTRACT Inventor? Friedrich Assmus, Schrambcrg, Ratchet locking arrangement for the switching gear of Germany a battery clock driven by the aid of a balance wheel,

{73 Assigncez Gebruder Junghans GmbH, which is advanced by means of a divider switch,

schramberg, Germany wherein a locking wheel is connected with the switching gear, and a locking ratchet cooperates with the Flled: P 25, 1974 locking wheel. The latter is coaxial and operatively as- [2]] App]. No.: 509,314

[52] US. Cl 58/117; 58/28 R; 58/28 D [51] int. Cl. G04B 15/00; (304C 3/04 [58] Field of Search 58/28 R, 28 A, 28 B, 28 D, 58/117; 74/l.5, 126

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,375,653 4/1968 Wolber ct al. 58/28 D 3.422.618 H1969 Haag 58/28 R Primary E.\'un1inerStephcn .l. Tomsky Assistant Examiner-U. Weldon Attorney, Agent, or FirmWatcrs, Schwartz & Nissen sociated with the switching gear. The ratchet is adjustably supported on a stationary part of the clock by the intermediary of an eccentric, the latter constituting a sole adjusting member for the proper positioning of the teeth of the switching gear with respect to switching discs secured to the shaft of the balance wheel. The ratchet has a weight sufficient to make positive engagement with successive bases of the teeth of the locking wheel upon advancement of the system by one step.

2 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure 4 T 7 a l 10 6 5 a 4 i l g US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 3,908,357

RATCHET LOCKING ARRANGEMENT The present invention relates to a ratchet locking arrangement for the switching gear of a battery clock driven by the aid of a balance wheel, which is advanced by means of a divider switch, wherein a locking wheel is connected with the switching gear, and a locking ratchet cooperates with the locking wheel.

A locking installation of this type has essentially two requirements to fulfill, namely to lock the switching gear against return movement and to bring the switch- .ing gear teeth into positions in which they do not touch the switching discs during the remaining oscillation curve of the switch From US. Pat. No. 3,375,653 a locking arrangement has become known with a locking spring which fulfills the aforementioned requirements, however, this arrangement has the disadvantage that two elements are required for its adjustment.

It is also known that the locking of a switching gear is performed by means of a gravity ratchet. This solution is however complex in that an extremely small tolerance must be maintained for the adjustment of the switching gear teeth from the point of rotation to the tip of the ratchet.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to obviate the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide a substantially less expensive ratchet locking arrangement.

In accordance with the invention the foregoing is attained in that the locking ratchet is formed as a gravity ratchet and is supported by means of an eccentric.

In a further embodiment of the invention the locking ratchetis so formed that it has its center of gravity in the proximity of the locking wheel. This provides the ratchet with the required pressure in the locking teeth.

Through the invention it is also achieved that for ad 'justment of the switching gear teeth positions in regard ;to theswitching discs only a single adjusting element is required. Additionally there are eliminated for the locking ratchet all expensive production measures with respect to the distance between the bores and the tips, inasmuch as the tolerances can now be balanced with the eccentric.

In accordance with the preferred, exemplary embodiment of the invention, a ratchet locking arrangement is ,-provided for battery clocks, driven by the aid of oscillating balance wheels and advanced by the intermediary of divider switches, the arrangement comprising a switching gear which has a number of teeth thereon for cooperation with a pair of switching discs that are se- ;cured to the shaft of the balance wheel, a locking wheel coaxial and operatively associated with the switching gear, a number of teeth on the locking wheel, a locking ratchet adjustably supported on a stationary part of the clock for engagement with the locking teeth by way of ing wheel have been advanced by one step. as a result of'the oscillation of the balance wheel.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with respect to the single FIGURE of the accompanying drawing showing an exemplary embodiment.

In the illustration a shaft 1 of an oscillating balance wheel 7 carries switching discs 2 of a divider switch. Details of this arrangement are well known to those skilled in the art. A switching gear 3 has teeth 3a, and a locking wheel 4 is provided which latter directly contacts the gear 3.

According to the invention a locking ratchet 5 is used, supported in a suitable manner from a stationary portion of the clock by the intermediary of an eccentric 6a adjustably by a set screw 6 therefor. The center of gravity of the ratchet 5 is located in the proximity of the tip 5a of the ratchet.

By means of the eccentric 6a, and making use of the tip 5a of the ratchet and of the locking wheel 4 itself, the position of the switching gear teeth 3a may be so selected that, during the remaining oscillating angle of the balance wheel, they do not touch the discs 2.

Particularly suitable is a tooth arrangement for the locking wheel 4 as is disclosed in the above-mentioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,653.

With the aid of this tooth arrangement and through the applied support pressure, resulting from its weight, the locking ratchet 5 as well as the motional energy of the switching gear 3, after each switching movement, allows the tip 5a of the locking ratchet to seek out the bases of the teeth, thereby offering the earlier mentioned setting of the teeth of the switching gear 3.

In the illustration, the end portions of the discs 2 are shown in broken line, for intermittent operation in conjunction with the switching teeth 3a. The locking wheel 4, operatively associated with the switching gear 3, is preferably coaxial therewith.

The locking ratchet 5 has tip portion 5a where it engages in the teeth of wheel 4, a terminal portion where the ratchet is supported by the eccentric 6, 6a, and a main portion which preferably constitutes the center of gravity of the ratchet, in the proximity of the tip portion.

In the preceding description, the objects, advantages and characteristic features of the inventive ratchet locking arrangement have been described by way of an exemplary embodiment. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that departures and modifications are possible therein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A ratchet locking arrangement for a battery clock advanced by the intermediary of a divider switch consisting of a pair of switching discs driven by a balance wheel which oscillates in a substantially horizontal plane, the arrangement comprising, in combination: a switching gear having a number of teeth thereon for cooperation with said pair of switching discs secured to the shaft of said balance wheel; a locking wheel coaxial and operatively associated with said switching gear; a number of teeth on said locking wheel; a locking ratchet adjustably supported on a stationary part of the clock, pivotable in a substantially vertical plane, for engagement with said locking teeth by way of an opera- .tive tip portion thereon; and an eccentric interposed between said stationary part and a terminal portion of said ratchet, spaced apart from said tip portion, said eccentric constituting single adjusting means for the proper positioning of said switching teeth with respect 2. The ratchet locking arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking ratchet has a main portion constituting its center of gravity, in the proximity of said tip portion thereof. 

1. A ratchet locking arrangement for a battery clock advanced by the intermediary of a divider switch consisting of a pair of switching discs driven by a balance wheel which oscillates in a substantially horizontal plane, the arrangement comprising, in combination: a switching gear having a number of teeth thereon for cooperation with said pair of switching discs secured to the shaft of said balance wheel; a locking wheel coaxial and operatively associated with said switching gear; a number of teeth on said locking wheel; a locking ratchet adjustably supported on a stationary part of the clock, pivotable in a substantially vertical plane, for engagement with said locking teeth by way of an operative tip portion thereon; and an eccentric interposed between said stationary part and a terminal portion of said ratchet, spaced apart from said tip portion, said eccentric constituting sinGle adjusting means for the proper positioning of said switching teeth with respect to said discs; wherein said ratchet has a weight sufficient to make positive engagement with successive bases of said locking teeth after said switching gear and said locking wheel have been advanced by one step as a result of the oscillation of said balance wheel.
 2. The ratchet locking arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said locking ratchet has a main portion constituting its center of gravity, in the proximity of said tip portion thereof. 